New Planet Cybertron: Malacca Toy Museum

Remember the time when you were younger, and you used to watch the He-Man commercials and Prince Adam himself would hold out his magic sword and say, “By the Power of Grayskull… I HAVE THE POWER!!!” Almost instantly, he would be transformed in He-Man – the most powerful man in the universe (certainly no humility there) – with Castle Grayskull looming dominantly behind him.

Castle Grayskull

Or how kids back in the 70’s or 80’s used to don Darth Vader costume and tried to sound like James Earl Jones while swinging around his light saber?

Or how about those beloved Disney and Warner Brothers characters from way, way back, such as Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Tweety and Sylvester and many more?

And of course, who can forget Optimus Prime and the rest of the Transformers, and how they bedazzled us with their uniqueness.

Well, fret not, you will get to relive your childhood memories, and see all of them again, and many more, in Malacca’s very own Toy Museum.

Situated in Bukit Baru, not far from the old Customs office, the Toy Museum was formerly situated at Jonker Walk before shifting to its current location sometime in October/ November 2011. It’s really difficult to miss the building, especially with the humongous Incredible Hulk on top of the entrance.

As you enter the building, you will be instantly amazed. Just as you walked into the living room, you will be greeted by loads and loads of toys, most of them I never thought of seeing – Castle Grayskull, vast arrays of motorcycle models, the classic comic character Tintin, and even Betty Boop! For those not in the know, go on and ask your parents, or better, your grandparents, but just in case, Betty Boop was a cartoon character created way back in 1930, and for a time, was considered as a sex symbol.

The Curator's father - Mr. John Ang

As you enter, you will be greeted by the museum’s curator and owner, Mr. George Ang, who dedicated the museum to his father. George gave me a brief rundown of the establishment’s history, about his appreciation for toys and also some of the exhibits. The Totopoly in display, according to him, is the oldest item among the various exhibits, which dates way back to 1942. Personally, I reckoned that it may as well be one of the oldest in the country.

The Oldest Exhibit in the House -- The 1942 Totopoly

For fans of Michael Jackson, you’re not left out either. Catch a glimpse of some of the late King of Pop’s most popular memorabilia and figurines. I was most impressed to catch a glimpse of MJ’s signature diamond glove!!!

Long Live the King!!!

There is also a room that showcases various Disney and Warner Brothers-related figures, toys and items – from the old classics such as the Looney Toons, Mickey and Donald; to some of the newer stuffs such as the Pixar characters Cars, Monsters’ Inc, WALL-E, Ratatouille and UP.

The Disney/ Warner Bros Room... feat. other franchises as well...

A Glimpse of other Exhibits as well...

For comic fans, I do recommend to catch a glimpse of the curator’s own collections – The Batman and all Batman-related merchandises. There also such characters as Spawn, Ghost Rider, Spiderman, Superman and loads more.

Batman Forever!!!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Remember Balrog from LOTR?

Some of the newer stuffs such as Superman and Ghost Rider & his ride...

RoboCop

For Ghostbusters fans, remember Ecto-1? I was told that this is probably one of the most difficult to get Ghostbusters-related merchandises to date.

Ecto-1

Of course, who can forget the all-time favorites – The Transformers. I’m surprised to be able to catch a glimpse some of the original 1980’s figures, still intact and looking good. The crowning jewel of all is the 2-feet tall Fortress Maximus, which until now is the biggest ever Transformers ever built, albeit with the Cerebros (the head) missing. At the time of its release, it was the most expensive Transformers figure in the US market, and the 3^rd most expensive Hasbro toys.

Catching the sight of the giant Fortress Maximus in the flesh (or should I say, in plastic) is truly surreal.

Fortress Maximus -- in all his headless glory...

For Star Wars fans, you will definitely be pampered with the numerous exhibits showcased. Kids can even take photos wearing the Darth Vader shield!

As mentioned, the museum doesn’t only exhibits, but it encourages interactions as well! You can to try out some of the item’s light and sound gimmicks such as a grumbling Gollum and also a Darth Vader figure that would play the iconic Imperial March anthem.

Play Foosball

Hear Darth Vader March...

Or Simply Take Photos...

Also, for Avatar (James Cameron’s film) fans, get a load of this diorama , featuring figures never before available in this country!

Avatar Diorama

The climax of the exhibition is the museum’s very own horror room. I am not going to spoil it all for you, but here’s a glimpse of what’s in store.

Welcome to the Horror Room...

Oh, did I mention that there are even toys in the toilet?

Toys in the Toilet

There are so many things to see and experience here: Power Rangers, Kamen Riders, Plush Toys, Anime characters, and many more.

Bruce Lee

Plush Toys

This is definitely a place that you should really check out. The kids will love it. Toys and Action Figures Collectors will absolutely love it. And to all parents, this is an opportunity for you to relive your childhood, and at the same time, share those priceless childhood memories with your children. You will definitely enjoy your time there.

I know I did.